Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



A. V. HILL.

Breech-Loading Fire-Arm.

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Patented Aug; 2, 1859.

lnventori UNTTED STATES PATENT Trice;

ALBERT v. HILL, or HINSDALE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 24,936, dated August Z, 1859.

. drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists of the combination of a chamber, wherein the charge is inserted, the bed-piece, wherein the chamber rests, and the breech-pin, the bed-piece and breech-pin each being composed of strips of iron, so as to admit the one to slide into the other, which, when slid together, grasps the chamber and holds it firmly until it is discharged. They are held permanent by means of a connecting-rod witha thumb-piece upon one end and a nut upon the other. By turning the thumb-piece into and out of a notch the bed-piece is permitted to slide to and from the breech-pin, allowing the discharge chamber to be removed and supplied by one ready charged and capped. At the breech end of the chamber two pins are inserted, so as to fit corresponding holes in the breech-pin, and at the forward end is made a round tenon, which is, by means of the sliding process, inserted into a corresponding mortise in the breech end of the barrel, the breech end of the barrel being screwed into a band of iron of sufficient strength at the forward end of the bed-piece, and the connection between the barrel and chamber is supported by this band and tenon, so as to become safe and firm. WVhen the gun is discharged, the gunner turns the thumb-piece to the proper position, and with one hand upon the stock, and the barrel grasped by the other, pulls in opposite directions. The distance between the breech-pin and barrel is increased and the discharged chamber removed and supplied by others ready loaded and capped. The breech and barrel slide together again, the thumb-piece turned, and the piece is again ready to fire. This process should be performed while the gun is half-cocked.

This gun is intended to be used with patched balls, and has advantages in that respect over all other breech-loading guns. The chamber, however, is made a trifle larger than the bore of the barrel, so that the ball and cap fill the bore in the barrel tightly, and thereby my Ready Hunters are in fact sharp-shooting firesixteen in the minute. The lock is construct ed between the breech-pin and trigger-plate,

steel, the mainspring having a hole about a half or three-fourths of an inch from the butt or large end, and made fast to the breech-pin by means of a screw, and the featherspring made fast to the triggerplate in the same way, the tumbler in the usual form, the tenon thereof passing through a plate of iron and The tumbler and mainspring are connected by the common stirrup, the feather-spring passing over and resting upon the rear portion of the trigger, which throws the trigger in gear, as represented in Fig. 1, the look not costing to exceed one-half of the ordinary gun-lock, not liable to get out of order, and easily repaired. The stock is made to fit the cavity between the breech-pin and triggerplate, and the necessity of c tting the timber cross-grain is entirely obvia ed, .and forms an excellent-appearing fire-arm. Moreover, the barrel may be unscrewed and disconnected from the stock, and both packed into an ordinary trunk for transportation.

Figure 1 represents a side view of the entire invention, in which letter a represents the bed-piece, formed by sliding the same into the breech-pin. Letter 1) represents a bend, into the front end of which the barrel is inserted by means of a screw. Letter 0 represents a chamber, upon the forward end of which is formed a round tenon to fit a corresponding mortise in the breech end of the ban rel. Letters 3 y represent the pins in the breech end of the chamber inserted into the holes in the breech-pin. Letters 1- 1' represent portions of the bed-piece inserted into a mortise through the breech-pin, forming slides. Letter t represents a nut upon the end of the connecting-rod; letter 6, the breechpin; letter '0, the tumbler; letter i, the mainspring; letter Z, the screw by which the mainarms, and may be discharged after the rate of the springs being made of straight pieces of made fast to the hammer in the usual way. I

spring is fastened to the breech-pin. Letter H represents the lock-plate; letter 0, the trigger; letter (Z, the feather-spring; letter 9, the screw fastening the feather-spring to the trigger-plate, and letter k, the trigger-plate.

Fig. 2 represents a separate view of the chamber.

Fig. 3 represents a separate View of the breech-pin, in which letters 1? 1? represent the bottom formation of the bed-piece. Letter 00 represents a half-round hole, which, in connection with letter a: in Fig. 4, when properly adjusted, forms a round hole, through which connecting-rod represented at Fig. 5 passes, and is made fast by a nut, as represented by letter t in Fig. 1. Letter 8 represents a mortise through the breech-pin, and through which slides 1' r, as represented in Figs. 1 and 4, pass.

Fig. 4 represents a view of the bed-piece, in which letters 1' r represent slides and letter 00 represents a half-round hole, as before stated.

Fig. 5 represents a separate view of the connecting-rod, with a thumb-piece upon one end and a screw upon the other, upon which nut t at Fig. 1 is inserted.

WVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of the bed-piece, breechpin, and connecting-rod, which in connection form the sliding process, and operating as above described.

ALBERT V. HILL.

\Vitnesses:

A. SToRRs, R. W GREEN. 

